In a new, exciting era of chastity, numerous political and religious groups are on a crusade to convince teenagers that sex is not cool.

These conservatives inundate youth with jewelry, banners, shirts, ribbons, bookmarks, keychains, etc. that carry inspirational messages such as “we’re waiting” and “forbidden fruit.”

By the time they complete high school, most teenagers have become quite well-acquainted with the two important reasons to save themselves for marriage: a) true love waits and b) the only safe sex is no sex.

The findings of released studies confirm the renewed popularity of abstinence. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the number of teens who are virgins has increased by nearly ten percent. Additionally, the teen birth rate has decreased by almost two percent.

Indeed, abstinence workshops seem so successful that President Bush plans to raise spending for chastity promotion from $65 million to $135 million. This move, however, is a step in the wrong direction for sex education.

Though statistics may seem promising and the no-sex slogans may be catchy, the all-or-nothing approach to sex ed –which may delay sexual activity in some– leaves many teens without a reliable source of information about contraceptives and STDs.

A recent issue of Newsweek stated that more than a third of high schools embrace abstinence-only programs, 60 percent of which, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, either exclude contraceptives from discussion or teach that these are ineffective.

This means that about one in five teens confront sexual situations armed only with a vague moral conviction to “just say no” and, if he or she is lucky, a “sex can wait” bookmark. For many this is not enough ammunition against passion. Yes, fewer teens are having sex; however, studies show fewer than one-half of 17-year-olds are virgins.

Abstinence-only advocates should realize that teaching safe sex as a backup plan can mean the difference between life and death for students whom the save-sex-for-marriage message does not reach.

Teens who have sex outside of a mutually faithful monogamous relationship need to know how to best protect themselves from STDs and pregnancy.

Even those who do plan to stay chaste until marriage could benefit from learning how to use contraceptives properly and how to handle unwanted pregnancies.

Teens should not have to rely on the media, rumors, and experience alone for sex education when schools already offer classes that should, in theory, dispel sexual myths. It is wrong to focus only on moral standards, which may be taught in the home, and deny teens the opportunity to learn how to preserve sexual health

Conservatives need to forget the idealist virtue of chastity and face the reality: teens engage in sexual activity. No amount of abstinence-only propaganda will stop all teens from engaging in all sexual activity. Bush’s proposed $135 million for teaching abstinence should instead go towards comprehensive sex-education programs, which do not preach virtue but inform students how to have sex responsibly.

A chastity-based sex education that neglects sex as an immediate and real issue is no sex education at all.